\u201cThere was no way it would\u2019ve passed,\u201d said Re-1 Superintendent Alex Carter, announcing the decision to postpone the mill levy request this fall during a half-hour public budget meeting on Monday, May 11.<\/p>\n
Carter attributed the decision, in part, on an unresolved $2 million Kinder Morgan tax dispute with Montezuma County. Earlier this year, the Colorado Court of Appeals required the county to repay what it deemed as an unfair assessment to the global oil company. If upheld, the decision could cost the district about $1 million in local tax revenues, which would be reimbursed through state equalization.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be a lot of effort to run a mill levy override, and I want to know what the playing field looks like before I start,\u201d said Carter.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople have told me we will have to run it three or four times before it passes, and I say no,\u201d Carter added, popping the table with his palm.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll run it once, and it will pass,\u201d he continued, again banging the table. \u201cSo, I\u2019m not going to run it until I\u2019m confident that we have a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carter floated the idea of a possible mill levy override request last fall, and the district circulated an online survey this year to gauge response to a potential tax increase. A Cortez Journal request for Carter to release the survey results was ignored.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Carter said he would have used additional revenues from property taxes to target three specific areas: extending the academic year by 10 calendar days, investing in school security at deteriorating facilities and increasing student access to technology.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s up to the people to decide whether students are a resource to invest in or if they are a drain on resources,\u201d Carter previously said.<\/p>\n
At 18.933, the district\u2019s current mill levy generates about $850,000 annually for local school funding.<\/p>\n